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Vision Expo East Announces the Vision Choice Award Winners

Vision Expo East has announced the winners of the Vision Choice Awards and interesting wood eyewear and sunwear products were amoung the favourites. The awards are held to honour top new products.

Christopher and Andrew Shalhoub with Parkman Sunglasses from Mountainside, NJ took first place with their wooden sunglasses in a very first collection debut.

“It all started about two years ago on a road trip to Maine,” said the Shalhoub brothers.  “While in the town of Parkman, we came up with the idea of wooden sunglasses and wanted to make two pairs for ourselves and after lots of trial and error we ended up with something we thought was pretty special and took it to market.” They started their company in July of last year.

“This is our first time exhibiting at Vision Expo East and we’ve received tons of traffic and great feedback that we wouldn’t have been able to get any other way. We’re very happy and honored to have won. It makes all the 15-hour workdays and sleepless nights spent figuring out products and getting it all done, worth it” They aim to produce new products this season including materials made from wood with recycled drums, guitars and vinyl records.

Ian Rubinstein with Specs of Wood from Woodmere, NY placed second and Helene Goldschmidt and Brianna Hulburd with Lunette USA placed third.

Winners were chosen from exhibitors in the New Product Showcase Gallery at Vision Expo East where attendees got a first-hand look at the frames, accessories, and medical and lens technologies being introduced at the show.

Smartphones linked to increase in eye problems

Prolonged smartphone use, especially among young people, is implicated in an increase in eye problems ranging from eye strain to myopia and even temporary blindness.

A teenaged patient of London, Ontario-based optometrist Dr. Christina Schropp developed eye strain so severe she was temporarily legally blind. Three months of therapy, and limiting her time on mobile devices, were required to return her to 20/20 vision.

A survey from the Vision Council’s report on digital eye strain found that 7 out of 10 millennials  reported experiencing symptoms of eye strain. 84% of millennials surveyed owned a smartphone.

Staring too long at smartphone screens can result in dry eyes, blurred vision and a stiff neck. Experts recommend taking a break every 20 minutes and focusing on a more distant object, at least 6 metres away, to avoid eye strain.

Further Information: http://www.lfpress.com/2015/01/23/optometrists-report-increase-in-eye-problems-related-to-digital-devices

Joop! Releases a Spring/Summer Opthalmic Collection

The new JOOP! eyewear collection for Spring/Summer 2015 presents itself in warm colour combinations, especially soft nude shades and in the latest shapes. The modern silhouettes can be perfectly combined with the urban JOOP! styles of the JOOP! Fashion Collection, as they are designed to sit perfectly with this colour palette. Lightness of material, progressive shapes and a sure sense of style in the choice of colour determine the look. These new frames are the perfect accessories for the new season.

The brand JOOP! affords its wearers glamour with nonchalance and sexiness. Defining the unique style of all JOOP! products are the masterful combination of sophistication and authenticity. Always created with the distinctive handwriting of JOOP! – the love for detail. http://www.rlanctot.com

J.F. Rey Launches New TitaBox Model

J.F. Rey’s latest Premium collection model JF2632 offers flowing architecture, an ultra-light titanium front, acetate temples with exclusive motifs and, of course, the wonderfully efficient TitaBOX® hinge.

The TitaBOX hinge is exclusive to J.F. Rey. Equipped with a powerful spring, this titanium mobile system keeps the temples firmly open, working comfortably on the contours of the face.

http://www.jfrey-france.com/

Zen Barcelona Celebrates One Year Anniversary in the Canadian Market

COS has been the exclusive Canadian distributor of ZEN Barcelona for more than a year now. From the first presentation of their successful collection in 2005 at SILMO’s fair to today, ZEN has been increasing its presence in the optical market and is today sold in more than 40 countries.

Back in 2004, as Antonio Castañeda, the CEO of D & R Optical, was drawing the first sketches of what soon became ZEN Barcelona, his goal was to create art different from mass-production and conformity.

Each shape and colour of the collections is inspired from Barcelona, its historic buildings and avant-garde architecture, and its typical vitality. Furthermore, the design team of ZEN Barcelona relies on four pillars when developing new frames: pure concept, a talent for production, discipline in the details and ongoing innovation.

The brand is constantly researching new materials, combinations, shapes and techniques to offer new solutions and finishes with each collection.

Its CEO, Antonio Castañeda, even collaborates with the Department of Innovation and Technology of the University of Barcelona (UAB), on researching new non-pollutant frame materials such as their coconut fibre and other organic material.

Distributed by Canadian Optical. 1-800-363-2371

For more information visit ZEN Barcelona: http://www.zenbarcelona.com

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